190 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
February 2S, 1903. 
ON THE EDITOR’S TABLE. 
Notes and Notices on new or interesting 
Catalogues, Books, &c. 
Sutton’s Amateur’s Guide in Horticulture. 
This well-known publication has been on our table for some 
considerable time, having been published at its usual date. 
We have so often admired the execution of the photographs of 
Peas that we need say nothing beyond tbe fact that the artist 
has performed his work as faithfully as ever. One pod of 
Sutton's Centenary Marrowfat Pea shows twelve seeds, which 
must surely be a record. Most gardeners are satisfied with 
eight seeds, and more than satisfied with ten. It may be 
some time before the’ pods rival those of scarlet Runners in 
length, but the advance that has been made during the last 
quarter of a century is certainly marvellous. Green Giant 
Bean, belonging to the long-pod type, shows seven seeds in 
situ. Gardeners are usually satisfied with four seeds in a long- 
pod Bean. Faithful work has also been done by the artist in 
representing Asparagus, Garden Beet, Broccoli, Cabbages, 
Cauliflowers, Savoys, Carrots, Cucumbers, and other vegetables. 
The venation of the leaves is wonderfully natural in its repre¬ 
sentation. The same might be said of the netting of the rind 
of the various varieties of Melons, than which nothing could 
be more true to nature. The markings on the skin of the 
Petatos are equally well defined, and photographs may be con¬ 
sidered a means whereby all the varieties of the noble tuber 
may be as correctly delineated as it is possible to accomplish 
the same. Numerous garden flowers are also represented, so> 
that the catalogue is well worthy of minute inspection by all 
concerned. Novelties are scattered through the list, and well 
deserve a trial. 
Kelway’s Manual. 
The above is well named a Manual of Horticulture, seeing 
that it runs to ■j’2'2 pages, and contains a vast amount of in¬ 
formation of all sorts about hardy garden plants. Messrs. 
Kclway A Son, Langpoft, Somerset, are so well known that it 
is hardly necessary to mention that their specialities consist 
chiefly of plants that may be grown in the open garden. About 
the end of May they begin showing us what they can do in 
the matter of Tree Paeonies, herbaceous Paeonies, Pyrethrums, 
single and double, Lupins,' and other hardy plants of that 
character. Later on we are treated to a wealth of Delphiniums 
or perennial Larkspurs in colours and size that would put their 
predecessors of twenty years ago in the shade. The flowers of 
1 1 lose ‘Del] ih ini ui us are practically only semidouble, but they 
are far and away superior to the small button-like double 
Delphiniums that used to do duty in that line. Gladioli are 
also a prominent feature of the exhibits made by the Langport 
firm, and, needless to say, all those tilings are well represented 
in Kelway’s Manual, which is not by any means confined to 
those plants, but deals with most things necessary to render 
the garden gay or supply it with fruits and vegetables. The 
illustrations, moreover, are mostly devoted to the favourites 
sent out by this firm, and include a coloured picture of Tree 
Paeonies, as well as photographic representations of groups, 
exhibits, borders, and other masses of those popular flowers. 
Thompson & Morgan’s Seeds. 
Only a few gardeners, and chiefly those who have' been hunt¬ 
ing for years in the field of hardy herbaceous plants, are aware 
of the catalogue of Messrs. Thompson & Morgan, 5, Carr Street, 
Ipswich. It runs to eighty-eight pages, and though it does 
not contain a single illustration, it is indeed a repertory of 
information on all classes of garden plants, but particularly 
those suitable for tire rock garden and herbaceous border. 
If we apply the term hardy, it would include a vast number 
of the subjects mentioned here, and it would be only fair to 
state that many of them can only occupy the flower garden 
during the summer months. The firm is always on the look out 
for novelties, and if seeds of anything new are obtainable, it 
is almost certain to find its way here sooner rather than later, 
so that we could recommend the catalogue to all who are in¬ 
terested in outdoor flower gardening. The first part of the 
catalogue contains a list of novelties, some of which have 
already been described in our pages, and many of the best of 
them are certainly worthy of inclusion in collections. For the 
benefit of those who are not deeply experienced in the raising 
of certain difficult seeds the hints on the management of these 
on the back cover of the catalogue will certainly prove useful. 
Vegetable seeds also 1 find a place in the list, although they 
take a back seat by comparison with the immense number of 
useful and beautiful hardy flowers which are here tabulated. 
Catalogue of Florists Flowers. 
For many years past, Mr. John Forbes, Buccleudi Nurseries, 
Hawick, has been acquiring celebrity for the raising and cul¬ 
tivation of florists’ flowers, and in perusing bis catalogue one 
can get at the named varieties of Hollyhocks, herbaceous 
Lobelias, Montbretias, single and double herbaceous Paeonies 
show and fancy Pansies, Violas. Peutstemons. the early and 
late flowering Phloxes, Antirrhinums, East Lothian Stocks, 
and other specialities of novelties in this northern nursery. 
All the above may be regarded as special favourites which re¬ 
spond remarkably well to the cultural attention given them, 
and that, no doubt, accounts for the multiplication of those 
things which succeed. All the varieties are carefully described, 
and for the benefit of readers a separate list is given of novelties, 
so as to save confusion. Hardy herbaceous and alpine plants 
are also grown to some considerable extent in the Buccleudi 
Nurseries, and all are faithfully recorded here, accompanied 
by numerous illustrations, so that our readers would do well 
to refer to the original. 
The Royal Garden Manual. 
The above is the title of a manual of some H’2S pages on the 
subject of garden sundries, issued by Messrs. William V ood 
A Son, Limited, Wood Green. London. Tbe would-be beginner 
and amatem who might happen on such a list as this for the 
first time would be rather alarmed to find so many requisites 
necessary for the garden. Nevertheless, as gardens grow in 
size and efficiency, they are ever getting new wants and neces¬ 
sities which must be supplied by someone or other. It is quite 
beyond our intention to mention even the name of a. tithe of 
the articles offered here : it is a book of reference rather than 
to be read from end to end. Soils, manures, insecticides, pent, 
leaf soils, gravels, fibrous loam, fertilising moss, cocoanut fibre, 
weed killers, greenhouses, lawn mowers and rollers, sprayers, 
sprinklers, and all the other thousand and one things necessary 
for keeping up the appearance, reputation and efficiency of 
establishments of all sizes and classes are here described and 
illustrated. Garden chairs, seeds, tents, and everything of that 
character are recorded and described in the pages to which 
ive refer our readers. A good index gives a clue to where 
everything may be found. 
Potatos at ill,100 a Ton. 
A Potato cultivator at Markinch, in Scotland, lias a new 
variety raised by himself, for which he is obtaining a price which 
works out at £1.100 a ton. He first distributed seed tubers last 
season, when he disposed of about 5cwt. at 10s. a pound. Having 
a much larger stock to dispose of this year, he commenced to sell 
the Potatos at 5s. a pound, but the demand for them was been so 
great he has since found it expedient to increase the price three¬ 
fold. 
He has also endeavoured to buy back from some Potato mer¬ 
chants at 10s. a pound tubers that they purchased from him 
earlier in the season at half that amount. 
The present writer was shown a telegram from a dealer in 
Lincolnshire, in which he offered £650 for a ton. The reply to 
this was a refusal of the offer, and an intimation that the price 
required was £1.100. The financial success of this variety, which 
has been niamed “ Northern Star,” is believed to be a record, 
and the raising of such a novelty is a stroke of fortune that, lia. f 
seldom before fallen to the lot of a seedsman. 
